Various sealing means exist in the prior art for sealing a fluid medium in a fluid medium chamber. In particular, as depicted in FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2, static seals are conventionally used. For example, FIGS. 1a and 1b depict a conventional rail car axle bearing assembly. The assembly includes a bearing assembly housing B. Within the housing B a spacer C is positioned interiorly midway between the housing ends. A bearing cone D, comprising a pair of such cones sit inside the housing pressed against either side of the spacer. A series of bearings D' are mounted within the bearing ring. A seal ring E sits against the bearing cone D, where again a pair of such rings sit inside the housing pressed against either side of the respective bearing cones D.
Within the ring seal E is a static seal F. The static seal engages an outer surface of a wear ring G in a rotatable frictional relationship. The wear ring G sits against the bearing cone D, where again a pair of such rings pressing engage against either side of the respective bearing cones D. The wear ring is engaged by either an end plate H with connecting means such as a bolt I (bearing outside mounting arrangement) or a backing plate J that removably engages a shoulder of an axle or shaft K. The end plate and connecting means enable pre-loading of the bearing assembly as desired.
In rotational operation, for example, the components D, C, G, H, I, J and K rotate and the components B, E and F are fixed or stationary relative thereto. The static seal F rotatably seals by engaging an outer surface of the wear ring G in a rotatable frictional relationship. A fluid medium chamber L is formed between the ring seal E and the bearing cone D. A fluid medium such as oil or grease is located within the chamber L. By the frictional relationship created between the static seal and the wear ring, the seal F serves to prevent the fluid medium from escaping out of the chamber, and also, prevent contaminants (e.g., substances in an outer environment other the fluid medium such as air, water dirt and debris) from migrating into the chamber L.
FIG. 2 depicts another example of a bearing assembly that employs a static type seal in a conventional steel rolling mill shaft application. The components of this system are generally analogous to the components of the rail car axle system in function. Obviously the geometry of the components differ but they operate largely the same way.
These and other types of bearing assembly arrangements known in the prior art have several disadvantages. Arrangements that employ static seals have a tendency to wear out relatively quickly. Once the static seal looses its ability to consistently maintain frictional contact with the rotating wear ring, leakage into and out of the fluid medium chamber is inevitable. Further, such arrangements attempt to accomplish the two tasks of sealing in the fluid medium and sealing out contaminants with one component. Still further, such arrangements rely on the frictional relationship which has obvious disadvantages to inhibiting free rotation of the rotating system.
Still other arrangements that do not necessarily employ static seals suffer from similar disadvantages. For example, such arrangements do not consider fluid medium flow characteristics or utilize distinct yet cooperating components to circulate the fluid medium into moving walls for fluid containment and/or contaminant prevention and/or temperature regulation. Further, such arrangements do not actively circulate a fluid medium and utilize pressure differentials created by the arrangement to contain the fluid medium and prevent the migration of contaminants. Still further, other disadvantages that exist in the prior art arrangements will become clear after considering the features and advantages of the present invention.
A fluid ring sealing system is needed that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art sealing arrangements. Accordingly, the present invention includes features that overcome these and other disadvantages. The seals and seal systems disclosed in the prior art do not offer the flexibility and inventive features of my system and method. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the features of the present invention differ from those previously proposed.